Coin-controlled machine



| IIJ 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20. 1925 J. J. SCHARLI, JR

COIN CONTROLLED MACHINE DOJ March 22 1927.

March 2;, 1927. 1,621,756

J. J. SCHARLI, JR

COI N CONTROLLED MACHINE Filed June 2o, 1925 2 :sneeLs-sheer@ 2 Patented Mar. 2.2, 1927. I'

UNITED STATES 1,621,756 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. SCHARLI, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA., .ASSIGNOR TO JOHN F. MEYER, OF CHICAGQ'ILLINOIS.

COIN-CONTROLLED MACHINE.

Application led .Tune 20, 1925.

This invention relates to a novel and imnoved coin controlled machine and more iarticularly to one designed to be used as a fortune teller. The principal object of my invention is ,to provide a machine of the above type in which any one of a plurality of signals may be given by a single object, the particular signal depending upon the path taken by a coin deposited in the machine.

`h/Ioreparticularly my invention resides in a head simulating the head of an animate object and so mountedthat it may either nod or shake, thereby saying yes or no, the action being caused by the operation of a plunger and controlled by a coin. The mechanism operated by the plunger is usually in neutral position, to which it is returned after actuation.

Other objects will become apparent as the specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of acabinet having my invention embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same cabinet with the back removed to show the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Y

Referring now to the drawings, my invention is contained ina suitable cabinet 1 having a panel 2 disposed on the front thereof and upon which panel is placed a suitable pointer 3 mounted .on a shaft 4, which is connected by a suitable belt 5 to a shaft 6 extending through the front of the cabinet and provided with a knob 7 whereby the pointer 3 may be rotated to indicate any one of the questions V8 placed on the panel 2. The front of the cabinet is provided with an opening 9 within which is disposed the head 10, the movement of which is supposed to answer the question to which the, pointer is directed, and it is to the means for operating. this head that my invention is directeol.` j A 4The head is hinged adjacent its front end lat l1 upon a block 12 rotatably mounted on the bearing 13. Extending rearwardly from thehead is a pin.14bearing at its end a roller 15N contacting with a plate 16 hinged Serial No. 38,405.

to the cabinet at 17. Supported on the under side of the plate is a cam roller 18 engaging a cam 19 shown as having two arms 2O and which is supported upon the upper end of a pendulum 21 pivoted at 22 to the frame 23. It will be obvious that rocking of the pendulum 21 will cause the plate 16 to rise and fall and consequently the head 10 to rock about the hinge 11, or in other words to nod `as if giving an aiiirmative answer to a question. Extending rearwardly from the block 12 is a pin 24 received in the forked upper, end 25 of a second pendulum` 26,

mounted on the same pivot 22 as is the other pendulum 21. It will be obvious that rocking of this second pendulum will cause the head to rotate about a vertical axis, or in other words toshake as if giving a negative answer to a question.

Either pendulum may `be actuated by means of a striker 27 rotatably mounted upon a rod 28, which in turn is slidably mounted in suitable brackets 29 and 30. The rod is resiliently urged towards the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, by means of a spring 31 and its movement in that direction is limited by means of a stop 32 secured to the end thereof. Rotation of the rod 28 is prevented by means of a pin 33 runningin the slot 34 of a suitable guide 35.

Limited movement of the striker 27 along the rod 28 is permitted by the spring 36 engaging a stop 37 on the rod. Movement of the striker in the opposite direction is limited by a suitable stop 38 on the rod. As will be best seen in Fig. 5, the striker passes through an aperture 39 in the bracket 29 and in its normal position, shown in that ligure, it does not touch either of the pendulums 21 or 26, passing therebetween. Means presently to be described is provided to rock the striker on the rod 28, theextent of movement being limited by the sides lof the aperture 39. When it has been rocked to one side or the other' of the aperture',\it will be evident that it is in position to come in, contact with one of the pendulums andactuate the same. After it has actuated a pendulum, it will be returned to, neutral position by engagement of one of the cams 40, disposed one on either side. of the striker, engaging a side of the aperturel 39. The striker is actuatedby means, of alplunger `41 extending through a wall of the cabinet and having itsinner end adapted tocontact with a lever t2 hinged at 43 to the base plate 4 4, and having its upper' end disposed adjacent the end of the rod 28.

VCoin control means is provided for rocking the Striker on the rod 28, this means com-A prising two electromagnets 45 and 46 having a common armature 47 mounted therebetween and pivoted at 48 to the frame of the machine. The lower end oi' the armature is forked, as plainly shown in Fig. l and received within the fork is a` pin 49 connected to the striker, as bent shown in Fig. 2. It will be obvious that when either of the `magnets isY energized, the armature will cause the striker to be rocked so that when operated by the vplunger al, it will aetuate one of the pendulums. Energization of the magnets is controlled by switches 50 and .51, which in this embodiment are composed of leaf Springs mounted upon the wall of the cabinet and normally spaced apart, as shown in F ig. 4. Hinged immediately above these Springs are a pairo troughs 52 and 53 resting upon` the uppermost spring. The weight ofV a trough alone is not suilicient to cause closing of the. switch disposed beneath it, but the weight of a suitable coin in the trough would cause it to be depressed and close the switch beneath it. Between the troughs is disposed a deflector 54, and this deector is also placed beneath the center of the lower end oil a coin chute 55, which leads to a coin slot 5G in the front of the machine.l

` A suitable socket 57 is provided oni the exterior of the cabinet for connection to a series of electric power and suitable con ductors lead from this socket to the electromagnets and the switches, as is f plainly shown in the drawings. y

ln o aeration a customer turns the knob 7 until tlie pointer 3 designates the question ,which isV supposed to be answered. A suitable coin is then deposited in the slot 5G and this coin passes down the chute strikes the defiector 5a and falls down one of the troughs 52 or The weight ofthe coin `will cause closing of the switch 50 or 5l, as the case may be, and consequent ener gization ofthek magnet /l-' or a6. lit the magnet l5 is energized, the armature il'will be moved towards the `lett (l41 ig. 4t) and the striker will be rocked to a position to engage the pendulum Q6. Operation ofthe plunger ll will then cause movement of the pendulum 26 tothe right (Fig. 2)V until one ot .the-.cams 40 engages the corresponding side 'ot 1the aperture-39. The pendulum is then .releasedby vaction of the cam Ll() on the side ofthe .aperture and-the pendulum is per- .mittedjtmswingreelyr .Ifthe magnet 46 is energ1' zed, lthemstr-ilterjis.rocked in the j opposite ,dire ctionY Land l .the pendulum V2 l.. .n is .faetaateelf-aftli eem@ fer.- @aeration-0f the plunger 4l. The inertia of they parts is such that even after the magnets have ceased to be energized the armature will stay Vin position until operation of' the plunger has caused it to return to, neutral position. `Rocling of the pendulums will give the answer to the question asked by the pointer- 3.-

The base plate 44 is provided with a suit- "able aperture 8`through which the coins may pass from. the troughs 52 and 53 into a moneyv drawer 59. This money drawer is supplied with a suitable lock 60A and the rear panel of the cabinet is secured inv position as by dowels 6l and by a' hasp 62, which can beoperated only after the drawer .59 has been withdrawn. By this means it is impossible to4 remove the rear panel to reach the money drawer. l

l am aware that changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit yand without sacriiicing the advantages of vthe invention and I reserveV the right to make all such changes as fairly Vfall within the scope oi the following claims.

l claim: y

l, In a device of the class described, means for receiving a coin, a plurality ofpaths any one of which said coin may take, an oscillatorily mounted object,v and means to cause said object to give any one of a plurality of signals, saidA means being actuated by'said coin and the particular signal being determined by the path which said coin takes. y

2. ln a device oi the class described, object mounted to have movement in a plurality of directions, independent means to move said object in any one of saidv directions. a plurality of paths through any one of which a coin is adapted to pass. one of said means being actuated by passage of a coin through one ot said paths.

In a deviceo'f the class described. means 2.1m

for receiving a coin, a plurality of paths any one of which said com may take. an ob3ect mounted to move on any one oft a lplurality of pivots, and means to move said one oiiwliich said; coin may takeaan object Y mounted to have. pivotal movement in any one of a plurality of directions, a plurality of pendulums each pendulum causing movementin one of said directions, means to actuate one of said pendulums selectively and normally inoperative, said actuating means being made operative by the presence of a coin in one of said'plths-and the pendulum which it actuates being determined by the 'path which said coin takes.,

Y5. Ina device of the class described, means lou to receive a coin, a plurality of paths any one of which said coin may take, an object mounted to have pivotal` movement in any one of a plurality of directions, a plurality of pendulums each pendulum causing movement in one of said directions, means to actuate one of said pendulums selectively and normally inoperative, said actuating means being made operative by the presence of a coin in one ot' said paths and the pendulum which it actuates being determined by the path which said coin takes, and means to return said actuating means to inoperative position after actuation of a pendulum.

6. In a deviceot the class described, an object mounted on two pivots, two pendulums, each pendulum adapted to cause movement of said object about one of said pivots, a striker adapted to operate either one of said pendulums but normally movable between them, means to actuate said striker, and .means to move said striker to position where upon actuation it will operate one oi said pendulums.

7. In a device of the class described, an object mounted on two pivots, two pendulums, each pendulum adapted to cause movement 0l said object about one of said pivots, a striker adapted to operate either one of said pendulums but normally movable between them, means to actuate said striker, means to move said striker to position where upon actuation it will operate one of said pendulums, and means for returning said striker to its initial position in respect to said pendulums after operation thereof.

8. 'In a device of the class described, an object mounted on two pivots, two pendulums, each pendulum adapted to cause movement of said object about one of said pivots, a striker adapted to operate either one oil; said pendulums but normally movable between them, means to actuate said striker, means to move said striker to position where upon actuation it will operate one of said pendulums, means for receiving a coin, and a plurality of paths any one of which said coin may take, movement of said striker being determined by the presence of the coin in one of said paths.

9. In a device of the class described, anV

object mounted on two pivots, two pendulums, each pendulum adapted to cause movement ot said object about one oit' said pivots, a striker adapted to operate either one of said pendulums but normally movable between them, means to actuate said striker,

means to move said striker to position where upon actuation it will operate one of said pendulums, means for returning said striker to its initial position in respect to said pendulums after operation thereof, means for receiving a coin, and a plurality of paths any one of which said coin may take, movement oi said striker being determined by the presence of the coin in one of said paths;

l0. In a device of the class described, an object mounted for movement on two pivots, two pendulums each adapted to cause movement of said object about one of its pivots, a striker slidably mounted to move between said pendulums and normally out of engagement therewith, means to actuate said striker, means to move said striker to posit-ion where upon actuation it will engage one of said pendulums, a cam on said striker, and a member engaging said cam to move said striker out oi engagement with either of said pendulums after actuation thereof.

1l. In a device of the class described, an object mounted on'two pivots, two pendulums each adapted to cause movement of said object about one of said pivots, a striker slidably mounted to move between said pendulums and normally out of engagement therewith, means to actuate said striker, two electromagnets, an armature disposed therebetween and common thereto, means to move said striker by movement of said armature, and means to energize each of said magnets selectively such energization causing movement of said striker into position to operate one of said pendulums.

l2. In a device of the class described, an object mounted on two pivots, two pendulums each adapted to cause movement of said object about one of said pivots, a striker slidably mounted to move between said pendulums and normally out of engagement therewith, means to actuate saidstriker, two electromagnets, an armature disposed therebetween and common thereto, means to move said striker by movement of said armature, means to energize each of said magnets selectively such energization causing movement of said striker into p0- sition to operate one of said pendulums., means to receive a coin, a pair of paths either one of which said coin may take, and a pair of switches each switch disposed in the circuit of one of said magnets and adapted to be closed by passage of a coin through one of said paths.

Jol-1N J. scHARLr, JR. 

